John 13:13 - Exposition

Ye name me the Teacher and the Lord . "Rabbi and Mara," the names of reverence which disciples of the Hebrew teachers were accustomed to offer to their masters. φωνεῖν means to name, and the two nominatives are used appellatively, not as vocatives. Tholuck regards them as vocatives. Scholars dared not address their teachers without some marks of respect. διδάσκαλος is John's equivalent for יבר , my Master (see John 1:29 ; John 20:16 ). And ye say well; for so I am . At this supreme moment he does not repudiate this high function, nor abate any of his lofty claims. He was most obviously the highest in his condescending love. He had given no more amazing proof of the originality and supremacy of his nature than this inversion of all ordinary relations. So I AM —more, indeed, than "the Teacher," "the Savior," more than "the Master," as Peter said on a memorable occasion, "God was with him," and he was Immanuel—"God with us," and "Lord of all" ( Acts 10:37 , Acts 10:38 ).